Review of An Incredible Journey

A Review of Nii Parkes New Collection featured in Sable Literary Magazine

I first had the pleasure of hearing Nii Parkes read at an open mic in January of this year. His work was lyrical and his presence on stage filled the room. No one there that evening could fail to notice him. Upon discovering the release of his CD, Incredible Journey, I jumped at the chance to hear a more extensive collection of his work.

Parkes originally hails from Ghana and this spiritual and physical home threads its influence throughout his work. His poems often read as lyrics and on his CD some border on songs-his voice playing with the accompanying music which ranges from the soulful hymn to jittery jazz. Even when he speaks unaccompanied, his voice is so melodic that he creates symphonies with his words.

Listening to the CD, I found that the music on some tracks reminded me of bad 80’s R&B, which almost persuaded me to flip to the next track. This does not mean that all the music behind the poetry was bad. Though it does bring to the forefront the idea that whatever is used in relation to a body of work will affect it. For example, “A2CraZ”, is a fine piece of work but the music put me right off. If I wouldn’t have listened to it because of the music choices, I would have missed the fabulous line ‘I am mesmerized by your voice, a mixture of honey and cinnamon and bass clef.’ On the other hand, ‘Learning to Resonate’, benefited from its background of walking bass and the fits and starts of a solo saxophone, especially under the section:

'Daddy said work hard so I spent days polishing my words with lyrical wax but they sounded like squeaks on a saxophone.'

What strikes me most about Parkes work, is the feeling of familiarity juxtaposed with vibrant images of injustice, as in the piece ‘D.A.I.L.L.O.’:

'Love thy neighbour as thyself. Well it seems you didn't read that page 'cos I live next door to you in Notting Hill and you smeared shit on my door.'

This brings a reference to the bible into the brutality of reality and questions our belief systems. He continues to question his audience throughout his work by creating vibrant pictures of lives that people believe to be less ordinary but which are, more often than not, commonplace. In his own words, Parkes explains what he strives to do in his writing: ‘I make calls for justice in my poetry performances around the world and I hope my message gets across. It is my belief that if we are not silent, we will find ears to hear, hands to help and minds to seed, and solutions will be found. I always cite the example of domestic violence. Too many people have kept mute about it for too long, and many have died in silent pain having lived their entire lives riddled with fear.’ (Excerpt from www.niiparkes.com)

Overall, I was pleased with the quality of this collection. It brought the essence of the writer to the listener with such accuracy that the only shame comes from him not being in the room. For a man who poses the question ‘You can raise an enemy’s child, because a child is a child,’ I can only hope that his writing will carry on in this vein and continue to flourish.

Creatine Facts

Searching on the Internet for facts on creatine can be overwhelming. It seems that most sites that claim to provide unbiased information on the supplement are also ones that sell it. One of these sites has written in small print “The statements on this web site have not been evaluated by the FDA.” at the bottom of each page even after claiming they are reliable. Instead of giving into my frustration, I thought on my own experiences working in a gym and approached nutritionist Heidi Bates, BSc, RD of Tri-Nutrition Consulting for the most up to date facts on creatine.

What is Creatine?

Creatine is a compound normally found in muscle tissue. Amino Acids synthesize it to be used as a source of energy during the first 2 to 30 seconds of physical (anaerobic) activity.

Why do people use it?

A supplementation of creatine is used as an enhancer during high intensity exercise (e.g. weight lifting, sprinting). Available research suggests that creatine supplementation may increase muscular strength and power during exercise. The theory is that more creatine would allow the body to generate more energy, more quickly over short durations, which would then enhance performance and results.

Does it really work?

Working in a gym, I have heard people claim that creatine was the best supplementation they’ve tried. However, the results have been inconsistent in many cases. Most of the research has been conducted on elite level, male athletes, which leads us to not know for sure how, or if this translates to other groups of active people.

Is it safe?

Most sites claim it’s safe for use in adults. Though creatine occurs naturally in small levels in your body, there have been no studies done to assess the long-term safety of creatine supplementation. Caution is recommended, especially for teens, children, pregnant women and anyone with ongoing medical conditions because very little work has been done to assess the effects of this supplementation in these people. Because of this, anyone thinking of using creatine should discuss it with his or her doctor BEFORE trying it.

What are the side effects?

A number of side effects could include weight gain, muscle cramping, and increased risk for injury. Another side effect that is only whispered of in locker rooms is that it can cause horrible gas. This makes working out with someone taking Creatine potentially quite uncomfortable and maybe even embarrassing.

How much does it cost?

Research suggests that 5 g four times per day/5 days followed by doses of 2 g/ day thereafter of supplemental creatine promote the maximum storage of it (e.g. more than this amount offers no benefit at all). Most prices on the sites that I saw were approximately $10-11 per 100g with most retailers suggesting up to 20g per day to start and then to move on to 5-10 g per day. This means you’d be spending an extra $15-$35 / month.

Do I really need creatine or any other supplement?

The jury’s out on this one. Basically there’s not enough information. Some nutritionists and health professionals agree that you don’t need supplements to boost your performance. This can be done safely with a proper balance of food and activity. On the other hand, other people swear by the use of supplements such as creatine. Without it, some claim, they would not achieve the results they are striving for. One suggestion though. Before taking someone’s expert advice, do a little research and make sure that your supplement taking is not just a way to line someone’s pockets. If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.

For more information (of a reliable kind) on creatine, check out the Gatorade Sport Science Institutes website at www.gssiweb.com

World Cup Fever 2002

'Has this country gone completely F**king mad. Everywhere I look there are little St George crosses on cars and vans. We have Red, White & Blue day today at work and there are geeza's with full face paint and coloured hair!’
-Elliot (a New Zealander trapped in London)

The fever has hit. Extremely contagious, it’s an infection worming it’s way through young and old alike. It makes 50 year old businessmen paint their faces in England’s colours. It makes pubs that don’t allow football colours to be worn by patrons, turn their establishments into one big English flag. It makes young boys want to be England’s Captain, David Beckhem and little girls to be his wife Victoria aka Posh Spice - legendary amongst footballers wives. Today the madness starts. And it will only get worse. Just imagine if they win-

Here in London, the Union Jack and St. George’s Flags are decorating shop windows, hanging out of doorways and plastered to alleys and pub walls. Rumbling garbage trucks and mini cabs display their country’s pride attached by extra heavy-duty tape flapping in the wind. Even a little girl outside my work had Red, White and Blue braided into her hair. Cute but what has happened here? What has taken over everyone’s brains and turned them into Football Junkies?

The World Cup. Every four years a great tournament takes place in the fight to the death to find out who reigns supreme in the land of football. This year, 32 countries are pitted against each over in Japan and Korea in the 2002 FIFA World Cup. England has been grouped against both Argentina and Nigeria, both unbeatably the best teams in their respective regions. This group has been named the ‘Group of Death’ placing hereditary rivals in the same qualifying group. Will England prevail? The non-English say no way, but not too loudly against a nation who’s staking its reputation on a group of unruly footballers. We shall soon see what all the fuss is about.

Unfortunately I don’t think I can truly understand. I come from a place where hockey reigns supreme. Where the biggest thing that came every four years was the winter Olympics cause that’s when Canada had a fighting chance at winning something. (I don’t know how many school reports I had to write on the one in ‘92!) Even though the US and Mexico on in on the whole World Cup thing, football (or what we call soccer) seems to be watched only by parents at the sidelines of chalked-up fields in Canadian schoolyards everywhere.

So what will I be doing when England plays its first game? I was thinking about getting into this book I was reading about the industrialization of the Americas in the viewpoint of the Russian Proletariat, but then - without even realizing it - I found myself scouring the stores for anything red, white and blue - face paint doesn’t seem THAT expensive. Yesterday my neighbour complained about all the noise I’ve been making these last few nights. I guess I’ve been yelling COOOOOOOOOOOMEEEEEEE on EEEEEEEENGLLLLLLLAAAAAAAAAAANDDDDDDD!!!! in my sleep. Yeah right! Like I should believe that - oh wait, anyone seen my flag? Can’t go to the pub without it.

Driving on the Flipside: Easter in Paris by Tour Bus

Thursday night we left London in a rusty, ripped seat double decker bus with no toilet. Our trip to Paris with Tracks had officially begun. Up until the day before our trip began, we believed that we were going to be staying in hotels but at £99 we should have been scratching our heads. I called to double check the itinerary and discovered that we were staying outside of Paris in small cabins. The scramble for sleeping bags ensued and more then one of those traveling with me was miffed.

We were supposed to arrive in France at Place de la Concord (the square where all the royals and aristocracy were beheaded during the Revolution) by 9 a.m. but of course we missed our booked ferry and arrived there by 12:30 p.m. instead.

That first day ended up being a lot of wandering around and very little entering of buildings. We saw the Bastille—the statue commemorating the Bastille as the actual building was destroyed in the 18th century. We also tried to take in the Catacombs but they were closed (missed it by 5 minutes).
Instead we sampled some of the delights of Parisian food—I found some Asian take-out and humus and bread—not really French food but it was so very good, better than anything I have ever tasted. Then I realized that I remember very little French and even the simplest of phrases slipped my head. Funnily enough I thought in German when I was trying to think in French…my German helped about as much as my English. I came to understand that when someone says they speak a language a little, it’s means the same as when I say it—it means little or none at all.

That night was dedicated to a boat tour of the Seine. It was beautiful. Even though the “French” music was cheesy the commentary we got was good and almost all of the major monuments/ buildings were seen—the Notre Dame, The Eiffel Tower, the Concierge, National Assembly , the Latin Quarter (very high brow—I originally thought I could find a little flamenco there but it’s actually an area where scholars used to meet only speak Latin. Now it’s just a tourist trap), etc. As we floated by the Place de la Concorde, it gave me the shivers. Being that far back, you can almost see the multitude of people crying out for justice as the guillotine flashed red. A chilling memory amongst the delicate beauty of the surroundings. After the boat tour, we went up the Eiffel Tower. I walked the first two sections and then took a lift to the top! Windy! But beautiful.

Saturday was a trip to Versailles and all I gotta say is, no wonder the French people wanted blood. This palace is gorgeous and huge! I ended up taking a tour with a few people from my group and got to go into some of the inner rooms that the regular tourists aren’t allowed to see. This included a trip into the in-house Opera House, the place where Louis and Marie Antoinette celebrated their wedding together. Talk about history.

I think the most breathtaking part is the gardens—unbelievably huge, stretching out endlessly behind the palace. Unfortunately, because the tour went overtime, we almost missed the bus back to Paris and we had to run through Versailles, past surly security guards and across deadly cobblestone to make it.
Back in Paris, we went straight to the Catacombs, an underground burial place of (dare I say) millions of bodies. The bones were stacked on top of each other like Lincoln logs and the skulls were arranged amongst the stacks to make designs—mostly crosses but we also saw a heart!! For those of you that can read French, this is one of the many poems and inscriptions that graced the walls….

Ansi tout passe sur la terre
Esprit, beaute, graces, talent
Telle est une fleur ephemere
Que renverse le moindre vent.

In the centre of this bone yard is a small chapel and the Fountain of Samaritans which was named Lethe after the mythical river surrounding Hades known to incite forgetfulness. Deliciously morbid and not a place for the faint of heart nor the claustrophobic.

We joined back with our tour after some more glorious food (I had Vegan yogurt and cheese—the most amazing I ever had! It was definitely hard to leave behind) and went through the Monteparnesse area up to the Sacre Coure. This area is the Red Light district and we passed Moulin Rouge along the way. Of all the places I had seen, the Sacre Coure was the most peaceful. Thankfully no photography was allowed and quiet reigned supreme. We spent the last hours of our evening in the Latin Quarter where I had the most amazing coffee on a patio backdropped by the Notre Dame. A magical night.

Sunday, we had the choice of wandering Paris or taking in the wonderful world of Eurodisney. I chose the city. We headed over to Le Cimetiere Du Pere-Lachaise and saw the final resting places as such notables as Isadora Duncan, Maria Callus, Balzac, Chopin, Oscar Wilde and Jim Morrison. Jim Morrison’s original headstone has (sadly enough) been removed and a dull black one describing him as James was put into place and under guard.

Oscar Wilde’s tomb was fabulously decadent and covered with kiss marks—I even added my own lip prints to it as it is the hopelessly romantic thing to do. It is said that the Wilde’s Art Neavou Angel Tombstone was so blatantly anatomically correct that the caretaker at the time found it inappropriate and lobbed off the offending bits. I guess he just didn’t appreciate the art of it. On the back of the stone is the following inscription:

"And alien tears will fill for him
Pity’s long broken urn
For his mourners will be outcast men
And outcasts always mourn”

This tomb, the work of Jacob Epstein, was given by a lady as a memorial of her admiration of the Poet.
We wandered the rest of the day away, ate our lunch under an overhang of a store front as the rain freshened the streets, ate beet roots in view of the Notre Dame and even went in that fabled church. Everything else was shut up due to the whole Easter thing—a very Catholic country, and we were trying to sightsee on the biggest religious day of them all. What did get to me was the lack of respect people had within the church. Vespers was going on as flashes went and whispered conversation seemed a dull roar. Outside the front of the church were dozens of street vendors that added to that feel that tourism reigned supreme - even in church.

Monday was our last day in the City of Light and I spent it in the Louvre. There I saw the sights you cannot go home without seeing—the Mona Lisa, Victory and Venus de Milo (or as I overheard one boy say, “Mom’s off tryin’ to find that lady with no arms….”) I found the Venus de Milo breathtaking and to get up close to the Mona Lisa you had to fight your way through the mosh pit formed around it. Someone asked me what all the fuss was over that fabled lady and I honestly didn’t know. I wonder if anyone does.

On the way out of Paris, I was in charge of buying playing cards for the trip back and the man at the kiosk by the bus would only let me buy the ones with nude males on them. They gave us a lot of laughs (and a few groans from the men) for our trip back. As a side note, as we were driving out of town we went round the Arc de Triumph—the place where no insurance will cover you—and our side door flew open. Our guide had to hold it shut while we drove to safety. Ay Carumba!

If you’re thinking of doing a cheap tour, then think again. If you’re thinking of going to Paris, brush up on your French and visit www.paris-tourism.com.

Driving on the Flipside: Cathedrals and College Kids

After a while, the big city lights can lose their charm. Being in London, this can happen rather quickly. A mere two hour train ride southwest into the country will brush the dust off your shoulders and land you smack in the middle of Devon what was once known as the wild west of Britain.

I took myself away for a weekend to the heart of the west-country and settled myself in the town of Exeter - place known for its university and its cathedral. Exeter began its life in the hands of the Romans in 50 AD and continued on as an important port town until the 19th century. Evidence still exists of the Roman influence in bits and bobs throughout the city but unfortunately most of what remains is the rubble left after World War II. You can still see sections of the old wall (stand on it if you dare!) which is almost 2000 years old. This is amazing for me—someone whose country thinks 300 year-old buildings are ancient.

Even though most of the historic buildings have crumbled, Exeter does boast one of the most beautiful cathedrals in England complete with two 11th century Norman towers - remarkably they remained untouched during the bombing. Middle ages at its finest. From this landmark, you can take a number of free daily tours to discovery the history of this town.

Since I was staying with friends (though the hostel is supposed to be quite nice), we decided to skip the tours and explore the countryside ourselves. Finally! The green lush rolling hills of England, the thing only seen in films. The very place where foot and mouth disease actually started! Oh! The rapture!

Ambling down the lane, listening for bike bells and steering clear of muddy tracks, I felt as if I should have been wearing tweed while walking my terrier. After 45 minutes over hill and dale, past creeks and backyard gardens, we decided to head back. This is when the storm hit us. If you think Edmonton weather changed on a dime, come over to Exeter. Trust me, we did not expect a freezing hail storm to hit us the moment we turned and then have it continue to blow until we got back to the main part of the city. There went our sunny day.

The night life seemed to be a major part of the town. As I said before, Exeter is known for its university. Most of the major clubs are just outside of Exeter, but there are some pretty good places in town as well. After the walk of hail, we stayed close to home and ventured out to the Hot Spot. Lucky us, it was School Disco night.

Over in England, it is all the rage to dress up as “School” Girls (and guys) a la Britney Spears and hit the clubs. It’s so popular in fact that there are special nights dedicated to just that. So for a bit off the door, you dress up and drink it up.

Since I forgot my school uniform in the goodwill bag back home, I slinked down to the basement where a DJ was spinning and the crowd was entranced. Surprisingly, the music was great. I guess I expected a little less of a smaller town. After the club, the streets still feel completely safe even with the multitude of drunken college kids. Police are a fixture throughout the town even though they end up being a bit more like stern parents then the arm of the law.

One thing to be said though; it is a small town. The shops close at six and so do a lot of the restaurants. I can’t see exploring it for more then a couple of days especially if you love the big city. To me it was more of a safe haven away from the grind of the regular scene. A place to completely relax. A place to breathe. You need that once and a while.

For more info on Exeter check out the town of Exeter or Exeter tourism

Driving on the Flipside: Village of the Dammed

As the clock turned 7 and I finished my 10-hour, 3-country journey by bus, I stepped out and gazed upon the Sodom and Gomorrah of the Western World. I’m in Amsterdam, the world of drugs and legalized prostitution. To those who aren’t into all that, it’s a world of cheese and pancakes, windmills and Van Gogh, Delft and Diamonds.

Amsterdam is a beautiful place and surprisingly almost everyone (except for one older security guard I met) can speak English. That means I only had to talk in grunts and pseudo sign language once. It’s a good idea to book accommodation ahead, especially in the summer months, and the going rates aren’t too cheap. It’s expensive there! As for food, a lot of pastries and pancakes are on the menu. Fortunately, if you want something different (or have vegetarian tendencies such as I have), you can find falafel huts and Indo-Chinese restaurants if you really look.

Now, no trip to another city is complete without doing the tourist thing and visiting a museum or two. Since he was the most famous artist round these parts, the Van Gogh museum is one that shouldn’t be missed. I was fortunate enough to be able to view the Van Gogh/ Gauguin exhibit. It was really well put together—there was an audio guide so you could listen to info on the paintings and the painter’s relationship / lives by entering a code at the appropriate areas (like the Experience Music Project in Seattle).

They worked together for a very short time in the south of France which ended in the argument in which Van Gogh famously cut off a piece of his ear. He then ended his life a mere two years later at 35 with a gunshot to his chest. Gauguin died on a remote island all alone some time later (though I think he partly deserved it; he was a bit of an ass). This exhibit was the first time three out of the reputed 15 versions of Van Gogh’s Sunflowers have been shown in one place (One from London, one from Amsterdam and one from Tokyo). “I apply myself to canvas with all my mind. I am trying to do as well as certain painters whom I have greatly loved and admired.” (Van Gogh).

The best two museums I went to, though, were phenomenal for completely different reasons. The Heineken Experience is first on this list. Though Heineken moved its official headquarters, the place where it all began has been converted into a museum or more accurately put, is a large brainwashing machine. Although the need to drink Heineken is drilled into your head, the three beers and the free souvenir glass is well worth the five Euro entry. The glass alone costs four Euros in the shops!
The more humbling visit was to the Anne Frankhuis. This is where the Frank family lived in secret during the German occupation before they were captured and forced into concentration camps. I actually went through the door behind the bookcase and up the narrow stairs that were so steep I swore I was going straight up which led to their little apartment. Touched the walls that they touched. Saw Anne’s room with all her decorations pasted to the wall - movie stars and pictures cut from magazines. Someone left a rose for her in the corner… Near the end of the exhibit sits the original diaries under glass and they look like most young girls’ diaries. It’s hard to imagine all that she went through was what thousands went through…

"One single Anne Frank moves us more than the countless others who suffered just as she did but whose faces have remained in the shadows. Perhaps it is better that way; if we were capable of taking in all the suffering of all those people, we would not be able to live"
-PRIMO LEVY-writer and survivor of Auschwitz, 1986

For most, Amsterdam is really about the nightlife. There’s a long list of clubs to go to (if you have cash to burn and you wanna dance!). I took a chance on Paradiso, a two-level club in an old converted church, complete with stained glass. Be warned - the place doesn’t start happening until about 12 or 1 am. Before that time, the half-empty rooms are reminiscent of a bad high school dance reinforced, of course, by the couple of giant happy face balloons that are hanging from the ceiling.

If you want to chill, there’s always one of the well-placed ‘coffee’ shops. These places are where you can get ANYTHING of the pot variety including space cakes and the like. The most famous shops go by the name of Bulldog. The one we went to was in the old police headquarters. With a fresh juice or black coffee in hand, you can sit in a graffitied jail cell as wafts of sweet smoke fill the air and you join right in.
The dream of many a BC resident only the stuff is way better in those parts. This not being your kind of trip of course, there are shops such as the Magic Mushroom, which sells just that. Not only can you get those mystical fungi but it also comes with a complete how-to guide on consumption and a mail order form.

On either side of one of the many canals and through small side streets, is the Red Light District. Completely Surreal. Women stand in windows and sell their wares under the glow of red light. Their eyes are blank and hard as diamonds. I felt like I shouldn’t have been there—as if my presence was an insult since I was being a tourist and wasn’t a true customer. ‘What a strange feeling.’ After wandering a bit, we went to a live sex show. If you have the dough or not, you should still go. 25 Euros gets you in to see 30 minutes of live sex and other acts - a bit like a Vaudeville Show. Now before you go crazy—it’s not what you would think. It’s VERY rehearsed and a lot of them looked bored. Some of the things they did were really amazing but yet, as I said before, unbelievably surreal. You need to see it to understand.

All in all, the best thing about Amsterdam is that you can walk everywhere. Do it. See the flower markets overflowing with tulips, tour the canals and marvel over the hundreds of bridges you have to cross. Wander. Take in the Damplatz - the centre of Amsterdam complete with street artists and the Koninklijk Paleis, where the Royal family sometimes stays. Or bicycle like everyone else does. The soft whirl of hundreds of pedals is beautiful unless you happen to wander onto the bicycle path. I almost got run over about a hundred times - not too smart. Finally if you’re lucky and you take a bus out of the city like I did, you might even see a windmill as you head off into the night.

Thinking about Amsterdam? Check out a Lonely Planet from your local library or log on to www.amsterdam.nl. The link to Amsterdam Hotspots is great.

Queen Mum's Funeral

Standing crowded at the end of Whitehall, I try to see - stand tiptoe till my arches hurt. There’s always someone taller in my view. The crowd jostles; not with any animosity mind you but gentle playful bobbing.

There are lorries in plain view. People climb up the back and front trying to get the same sight as the people climbed and perched on buildings. Men scream for them to get off. Others chuckle. Giggling children are held up, put on parent’s shoulders. One wiggles to get down…if only they could hold up the Grandparents, the people who knew who she was.

I can feel the intake of breath, the push to see as the coffin pulls around the corner. ‘I see William, I see William,’ a pre-teen voice cries out. ‘There it is - the coffin is rolling into view. Can you see it?’ The older man with the binoculars murmurs that over me to his wife (The man who let me stand in front even though I was still too short to see.) His wife stands in front of me - us pressed into each other. She speaks past my ear. ‘You can see for the both of us, dear.’

As the coffin fades from view, the crowd against the makeshift concert gates tries to push out as the rest surge forward, trying to catch a glimpse of anything. An uplifted hand of a royal perhaps? But mostly the hats of soldiers, the back of the procession, the ones no one really has any interest in. One woman grumbles, ‘All I can see is a police hat - I could see those any day.’

Walking away, away from kids petting the horses of riding Bobbies, the crowds that shimmer like water to Westminster, I become another person going back to work. Now I’m a part of the laughter at - ‘don’t worry about the cars here. I’d worry more about the pigeons’ - traffic cop humour at the edge of Trafalgar Square. A part again of the faceless who cram into the tube, breathe in the filth, and wear our sleepless nights on our faces.

Driving on the Flipside: The Beginnings

How it all began.

At the beginning of last year (about a year ago in fact), I was checking on cheap flights to go back home to Edmonton from Vancouver. Skimming through my friendly neighbourhood Travel Cuts site Travelcuts.com, I noticed a little trivia contest. Enter and win it said. You could be on your way to an adventure of a lifetime it basically screamed. Win this and you get a SWAP registration to the UK for absolutely free!!!!!

Well…that sounded pretty darn good to me so I entered the thing. It consisted of finding the answer to some pretty obscure questions - it took HOURS to find them. Needless to say I did my little bit of Internet searching, answered the question and let the whole experience leave my brain.

Flash forward to April, three months later. I am sitting in a coffee shop with a couple of friends. A trendy little place called Starry Dynamo on Main Street in Vancouver which gave a little bit of free Internet to those who buy coffee. Sipping on my cuppa Jo, I plug myself in to the web to check my mail. SWAP? Who? Why are they writing me? And that’s when I discovered it folks. Discovered a chance of a lifetime whilst with my coffee shop friends. The opportunity to take a plunge and see the world. I had won second place in the Travel Cuts SWAP to Britain sweepstakes.

This of course was my lucky day as only three people in the country won this fabulous prize. A 2-year working holiday visa (only available to us in the commonwealth - yeah Queenie!), accommodation at a youth hostel for the first two nights, and a place called BUNAC (the British Universities North America Club) that will help you with the job and accommodation search during your stay in the UK. Not bad at all!

Of course anyone can take advantage of this opportunity as long as they have a bit of cash. And fit the age requirements (some places go up to almost 30 but the UK SWAP program is only applicable if you are under 26) To be a part of the UK SWAP you need to have about $450 as a registration fee.

You also have to fill out a form, provide two letters of reference, a resume, a cover letter stating why you want to take advantage of the SWAP program, your passport and an additional passport-size photo. You also need a letter from your bank stating the amount of funds you have available. In order to get the actual visa you need proof that you have $1500 as support funds. $1500? That’s what I thought until I found out that the other poor schmuks that try to take advantage of the working holiday visa without going through SWAP need to have proof of $2500. After hearing that, the $1500 didn’t seem so bad.

What to Bring?
So. Then the fun begins. The shopping and the packing. It’s the joy of trying to figure out what you’ll absolutely need and want that’ll all fit into one backpack to sustain you for two years. Of course things can be bought but then those things will have to be lugged about.

And what about the backpack? It better be a good one. That’s what I thought so I bought a $250 backpack on sale for $200. A necessity. It is absolutely important to have a good pack so that you can actually enjoy your travels, not curse them. SWAP does give you a list but these things are quite crucial:
-A letter of intro for your bank at home (you CANNOT get a bank account in Britain without one so be prepared!!!)
-A clothesline and plug stopper (you can buy them in a pack together)
-Clothes that don’t wrinkle
-Clothes that you can wear in an office if you’re going to do temp work.
-Lots of socks and underwear (self-explanatory)
-A sarong (comes in good use as a pillow, dirty clothes carrier, wall-hanging, you name it)
-A good waterproof jacket (also make sure it’s something you want to wear on interviews as well!)
-Lots of layers (just remember - you’ll be carrying them in the summer when it’s hot!)
-Runners and good shoes
-Lots of soap, shampoo, toothpaste, condoms, fem products, etc. (it’s bloody expensive here for those things and until you’re making some British coin, you can forget about it)
-Walkman and tapes (I had my friends make me tapes so I could think about them when I was gone. It’s a nice, easy going away present)
-A money belt to hide your passport under your clothes for those traveling moments.

How was SWAP?
So far so good. They were a bit disorganized to begin with. I did give them a bit of problems by making them send my final package to Edmonton instead of Vancouver where I had started the whole process.

I didn’t have to take advantage of the hostel when I got here cause I already had a place to stay so I don’t know how that went. But let me say this: It’s crazy at the BUNAC office. It’s great that they have listings up but there are so many people coming in January that things go fast so it’s something to look out for.

The slight advantage to the job hunt is that most of those coming here right now are Americans and they only have a 6-month visa whereas we can work for a full year (the other year is supposed to be devoted to traveling though you can break it up however you want). Also the hours are 9:30 to 5:30 weekdays and I work 10-6. SO if I need to go down there to pick up my mail or anything that’s not going to happen. They do try to give options for that (they’ll forward mail) but I’m finding it a bit inconvenient for me because I live so far away from the centre. They do host pub nights and excursions so you can make some more friends who aren’t from England but hey it’s better than nothin’, right? So do it if you can and if you can afford it. Save up.

You can only take advantage of the SWAP UK program if you’re under 30. SWAPs do take place to other countries but the guidelines are a bit stricter. Go down to your local Travel Cuts and pick up a brochure. Not that they’re paying me to say this or anything. Actually, they aren’t paying me so why am I saying this? Maybe they’ll endorse my next trip - wait, what am I thinking. Student travel = not a lot of cash. Anyhow, check it out before time passes you by.

A Few Travel Myths Uncovered

As published on youthone.com, 2002:

1. Travelling is TOO expensive.

Yes. That can often be the case. If you want to purely travel, you need the cash and travelling with Canadian dollars in Europe, for instance, can be really expensive. The good news is, is that there are opportunities for working holiday visas across the globe. You can check with Travel Cuts (their SWAP program is good for the beginner traveller) or with the embassy of your choice. That way you can work and travel at the same time. Having a base in the UK is often good, since you can save in pounds. Also there are lots of cheap flights out of London through places like www.easyjet.com or www.ryanair.com.

2. Isn’t English the second most widely spoken language in the world? I won’t have any problems!

Even with the pop-up of English language schools across the globe, this often is not the case. When I was in Amsterdam, some people did speak English, but a few didn’t. Basically it’s not polite to presume that everyone speaks your language. If someone came up to you in Edmonton and started speaking in rapid Russian, would you not run away screaming? A lot of major cities might have people who speak some English but even in a capital like Paris, you are not necessarily going to be understood. And if you go away from the main tourist areas, you will definitely find a language barrier! Most importantly, all signs will be in the language of the country that you are in. As for English speaking countries-words often take on another meaning in other cultures (In the UK pants refer to underwear! That is a commonly laughed at mistake. So please don’t yell out in the bar ‘I just spilt beer on my pants!’ It’s quite embarrassing.)

3. I’m going to travel the world and make new friends in every country!

This can be possible but more often then not, the people you meet are other travellers. So don’t be disappointed if you are not considered a cousin in a Sicilian family by the time you leave Italy.

4. I don’t need to plan. Travelling’s about adventure!

You DO need to plan. The World Health Organization has a great site that deals with safety issues at www.who.int/ith. It tells you what to bring and what you need to be immunized against when travelling. For some of the immunizations, you need to have had them at least 4-6 weeks before departure! Also some countries have specific visa requirements such as China or the Czech Republic. Check with your local embassy to find out if you need a visa before you leave the country. It is often very difficult to get once you arrive. Do check out the forums on www.lonleyplanet.com —travellers asking questions and getting answers. Most of all, be prepared to experience cultural differences, some of which you won’t be aware. If you’re planning to see the Vatican, plan to bring something to cover-up in - no short shorts or tank tops. And you’ll find that in some Latin countries, men are very aggressive in their perusal of women. Find out how your dress and manner will be treated in other countries and what behaviour is considered acceptable in you and in those who live there.

5. I need to plan out my whole trip from start to finish. That way it’ll be way more fun!

Some planning is good but too much planning can be a knife in your back. Just because a place looks good in a book or website, doesn’t mean it’s the place for you. It’s all personal preference. If you are hostelling along the way, there are lots of opportunities to take side trips with other adventurers. Also if you over plan your days, you might find yourself too tired to enjoy where you are. Saying no to an unexpected street carnival just because you hadn’t completed your itinerary for the day, can leave you regretting it later.